Page 40 of A Very Miller-Cooper Life

Nana

PS—I’m trusting you to hold onto the letter to your mom for a year before you give it to her. I couldn’t resist making her think she’s the only one who didn’t get one. HA!

As I laughed through my tears, I looked over at Reagan and noticed that she was doing the same as she stared down at her own letter. I held mine out toward her. “Wanna swap?”

She answered by grabbing the paper from my hand and holding out hers. I wiped my eyes then began to read the words my nana had written to Reagan.

Reagan,

I know neither of us wants this to be overly sentimental, so I’m going to try my best not to make it too mushy (no promises though). I know I didn’t have as much time with you as I did with other people in my life but the years that you were a part of were always an adventure. From catching my great-granddaughter with her hand down your pants when I thought you were engaged to my great-grandson, to watching you awkwardly letting my granddaughter-in-law know that the ring she found was from you for her daughter, to neverrealizing just how thin walls are, you always keep things interesting.

I loved getting to know you and letting you get to know me too. Bet you never thought a woman born in my time would have so many wild stories, huh?

What I’ll never be able to thank you enough for is everything you’ve done for Charlie and Jamie. They were wonderful children, but it felt like they lost themselves somewhere along the way. I truly believe you are a big reason they were able to stick up to their asshole parents and become the people they were meant to be.

Please take care of them for me, but also, take care of yourself. I know I like to tease you, but I can’t even begin to tell you how much respect I have for you. I love you, and even though I know they don’t like to admit it, your in-laws do too. Honestly, I think it kills them how much they like you since they wish they could hate you.

Thanks for everything you have done for my family. I know I’m leaving them in good hands with you (especially Charlie since you can’t seem to ever keep your hands off of her).

All my love,

Nana

“I can’t believe Nana is withholding your mom’s note just so she thinks she didn’t get one,” Reagan said with a laugh. “That woman is savage even from the grave.”

“I really wonder what she wrote in my mom’s letter.”

“I guess we’ll find out next year.”

I rolled my eyes. “I doubt it. There’s no way my mom is going to tell us what it says, especially because it’s probablymean. Or at the very least, contains some harsh truths. I’m half tempted to sneak a peek now.”

Reagan shook her head. “Absolutely not. I feel like Nana’s ghost would haunt us.”

“That’s insane, but also, probably true. So, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Chapter 10

Charlie

1 year later

It felt like I had been waiting for this day forever, but really, it had only been three hundred sixty-five days. Even though there was a heaviness because of it being the anniversary of my nana’s death, I was also excited to finally (maybe) find out what Nana had written in my mom’s note.

When we pulled into my parents’ driveway, I grabbed the envelope and shoved it into my back pocket. We had already dropped the kids with Jamie and Ethan, so it was just me and Reagan with nothing to soften the blow if this didn’t go well.Oh well. Totally worth the risk.

I knocked on the front door, but instead of waiting for someone to answer, I walked right in. “Anyone home?” I shouted while looking around for any signs of my parents.

When my mom came around the corner, her eyebrows were furrowed. “Charlotte? Is everything okay? I thought we weren’t getting together until tonight.”

“That’s still the plan. We are going to go get the kids in a little bit and come back, but I need to give you something first.” I grabbed the envelope from my back pocket and held it out to my mom.

My mom stared at the envelope for a long time then looked back at me. “What is this?”

“It’s a note from Nana. She included it with my stuff and was very insistent in the letter that she wrote me that I wait a year to give it to you.”

My mom grabbed the envelope from me, but instead of opening it, she stared down at it. “Why would she want to wait a whole year to give it to me?”

Because she loves fucking with you.Instead of telling the truth, I shrugged. “I’m not sure. All I know is that she told me I absolutely couldn’t say anything and I had to hold onto this until today.”

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